Jazz pianist Dave McKenna, 78, died Oct. 18 in State College, Pa . Check out his obituary in "Yankee Jazz Beat" by clicking here.

"Guardian of the Albert System" Dick Bell died Sept. 25. Click here.

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Atlanta Jazz Party producer Phil Carroll died Oct. 13, 2008, at his home on Lookout Mountain, Tenn., surrounded by his loving family. He had bravely fought a long battle with cancer. He was raised in Maplewood, N.J., and. after high school graduation, served in the U.S. Merchant Marine. He graduated with distinction from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor with a degree in business administration, emphasizing engineering.

While in college, Carroll met and married his beloved Atlee "Lee" O'Brien. (During their 58 years of marriage, he always referred to her as his "bride.") Returning to New Jersey, his first career move was in New York with Otis Elevator as he began a long, successful career as a business consultant and efficiency expert. Most of his more than 250 clients were privately owned businesses, and he established many personally rewarding relationships with their owners. He lived the life of a traveling man out of Rome, Ga., for four years, then was financial vice-president at Brock Candy Company in Chattanooga from 1961 to 1969. Serving as president of Butler Homes led him to Georgia again, and his consultation business later returned the family to Roswell, Ga., where the Carrolls lived for 15 years. When Carroll retired, he and Lee chose to return to Lookout Mountain, Tenn. where they had raised their youngsters more than 20 years earlier.

Throughout his life, Carroll had a passionate interest in traditional jazz, and he and Lee attended jazz parties all over the country. In 1990 he decided to "throw his own party," and The Atlanta Jazz Party was born. He chose musicians whose talent he respected, who would play tunes he wanted in a style he liked, plus they had to be "nice persons." The parties have been very successful, and the 20th Annual Atlanta Jazz Party is scheduled for April 24-26, 2009. The Carroll family will proceed with the party in Carroll's memory.

Carroll's huge collection of recordings includes five Atlanta Jazz Party CDs, and he assembled a large library of research books on music and musicians. Known as "Mr. Jazz," he conducted dozens of popular, well attended seminars for the Elderhostel organization. He was a member of the Church of the Good Shepherd and was active in many professional organizations. His family remembers him as a loving husband and father, and his gifts for friendship and for leadership were well known. He was described as a man of wisdom and judgment who often said, "One doesn't have wisdom at 23. It is acquired wisdom as you have many life experiences multiplied by time." He will be missed by his family and all his friends in his adopted and beloved Lookout Mountain. Lee Carroll is especially grateful for the love and caring which came from so many friends during his illness.

Besides his wife, Carroll is survived by his daughters Glenn Carroll Boatenreiter and her husband, Patrick, of Decatur, Ga,, Shelley Carroll Thessen and husband, Dan, of Laurel, Md., his son. Philip Carroll, and fiancé Pualani Chapman, Roswell, Ga., three grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, and two step-great grandchildren. Surviving sisters are Margaret Carroll Finch, Jeane Carroll Custin, and Patricia Carroll Buehler and Bud. Also surviving are several much loved nieces and nephews. A memorial service was held at the Church of the Good Shepherd on Lookout Mountain Oct. 17, 2008. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Chattanooga, 2700 Parkwood Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37404, or the American Cancer Society, 850 Fortwood Street, Chattanooga, TN 37403.

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Composer/arranger Neal Hefti, 85, died Oct. 11 from an undetermined cause at his home in Toluca Lake, Calif. Although he was greatly admired as a memorable composer and arranger for Woody Herman and Count Basie, he was probably best known to the general public for composing themes to the 1960s TV show Batman and the TV and movie versions of The Odd Couple. Prior to a successful career working with such stars as Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Mel Torme and Tony Bennett, he led his own bands, and he was active as a jazz trumpeter from the 1940s until 1960.

Born in Hastings, Neb., on Oct. 29, 1922, Hefti received a trumpet as a Christmas present when he was 10 years old, and he was arranging and playing for local bands by the time he was out of high school. He saw Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie play when they passed through nearby Omaha, and he was particularly impressed by the bebop playing of Gillespie. He traveled to New York and joined the Herman band, known as The First Herd, in 1944. He left the band after only two years, taking his new wife, singer Frances Wayne, with him, but he was influential in changing the thrust of the band from swing to bebop.

November 2008 issue | © 2008 The Mississippi Rag

P.O. Box 19068, Minneapolis, MN 55419.